Aviator

  photo: 1933, aged 24

  Ancestry

b. 5 Aug1895, Bickley, Kent

Father: Robert Bruce Aitken, a solicitor (qualified 1885), mother Harriot(t) (Soames, d. 1963 aged 100). They married 12 Jun 1894.

Sister Kathleen Maud, b. 1897

Robert was an RAF 2^nd Lieut 1917-18, and d. 21 Nov 1942 in Llandudno.

In the 1911 Census Robert and Harriot lived in Tunbridge Wells with their 4 servants; Grace, age 15, meanwhile was at boarding school - St Felix School, Clogle House, Reydon, Southwold.

Grace qualified as a masseuse (in Medical Gymnastics and Medical Electricity) and travelled to Quebec in 1926, New Zealand in 1927, and Hawaii and the USA for three weeks in 1928.

Her address by then was Masons Bridge Hall, Salfords, Horley, Surrey (which is near Redhill Aerodrome).

'Flight' Magazine recorded the start of her aviation career in October 1929: "During this week, three new lady members commenced instruction; they were Miss M. M. Noakes and Miss M. J. M. Turner, of Maidstone, and Miss G. E. Aitken, of Horley, Surrey. It is very encouraging to see the increasing interest and enthusiasm with which ladies are taking up flying."

The following year, she gained her Royal Aero Club Certificate No 9123, at the Cinque Ports Flying Club based in Lympne, Kent

She acquired a 1930 DH.60M Moth, G-AAWX, from Sir Piers GJ Mostyn.

For the next couple of years, she was an ever-present face in aviation circles, and 'Flight' recorded her various activities and triumphs:

May 1931: "The chief event of the afternoon was a race for ladies, this was divided into heats with Miss Aitken, Miss Crossley and Miss Amy Johnson in the first, and Miss Burr, Miss Gower, Miss Giles, Mrs. Young, Miss Slade, and Miss Spooner in the second. The winner of the first heat was Miss Amy Johnson, with Miss Aitken second, and of the second heat Miss Burr, followed by Miss Gower.

Amy, Pauline, Dorothy, Gabrielle, Susan, Winifred, and Delia

These four then took part in the final, which was a victory for Miss Aitken, with Miss Gower second, Miss Johnson third, and Miss Burr fourth. Capt. Dancy', that king of handicappers, was once again to be seen, complete with stop watch, red flag, and gum boots, and his work augured well for future races this year. Only a few seconds separated the winners in each heat, although the speeds of the machines varied widely, and the final was a masterpiece of handicapping, only ten seconds covering those racing.

The course was a triangular one around Wokingham Church and Twvford Station, the heats being one and the final two laps, the latter being about 20 miles."

July 1931: "Two of the Club's lady private owners, Miss Aitken and Miss Giles, left for Paris on Thursday in their two Gipsy Moths. It was originally their intention to tour Germany, but the political and financial situation there made this inadvisable."

 Joanna Elder Giles

August 1931: "A remarkably good performance was put up by two of the Club’s lady private owners, Miss Aitken and Miss Giles, who returned on Thursday July 30, from a fortnight’s flying four of France, covering a very big mileage during the period. They expressed themselves very pleased with the courtesy extended to them on all the friendly aerodromes on which they landed, and were particularly impressed by the French Meteorological Service."

September 1931: "In the last week’s report reference was made to Miss Aitken. one of the lady private owner members, and the hope was expressed that she had won the Ladies’ Cup at the St. Hubert Rally; this has proved to be the case, and, in addition, she has won the Challenge Cup, to be held by the Club for 12 months; this is an extremely meritorious performance and the Club offers her its sincere congratulations."

October 1931: "Lt. Com. T. S. B. Gubbins inaugurated his new flying field at Barham, and the informal opening was attended by Miss Aitken in her own aircraft."

November 1931: "On Sunday a party was held to celebrate the arrival of the ‘Coupe Challenge Internationale" - won recently by Miss Grace Aitken, of this club, on the occasion of the Second International Rallye at St. Hubert, Belgium. The cup, which stands ever 2 ft 6 in, high, is of solid silver on a marble plinth, and is held by the Club for a year; a replica is held by the winner.

Miss Aitken was the Club’s first lady ‘A’ licence pilot, and deserves the hearty congratulations of all on her extremely meritorious performance and her successful efforts to uphold the prestige of British amateur aviation on the Continent of Europe. Among those present at the celebrations were Miss J. E. Giles, Miss M. Noaks, Mrs. Hammond Davis, Mrs. H. E. Twaites, Lt. Com. G. S, B. Gubbins, Messrs, Drake, Marriage, Searle, Waller, Morris and Twaites, and other members and friends. The cups referred to were collected by aeroplane from the town of St. Hubert on the 18th ult. by Miss Aitken in person."

May 1932: "Several club members went over to the Antwerp meeting, including the Misses Aitken and Giles and Messrs. Trewlawny, Waller and Gubbins."

August 1932, the "GOSSIP FROM GATWICK" was that "The feminine element was well to the fore during the last week. Miss Aitken did her first taxi trip, when she conveyed Miss Sewell to Heston to collect her machine, in which she put up such a very good show when she flew it out solo to Transjordania."

September 1932: "A WOMEN'S FLYING MEETING

The Womens Engineering Society, who at the suggestion of Lady Bailey have formed an aviation section, held an air meeting in connection with their Tenth Annual Conference at Atlantic Park, Eastleigh, near Southampton, on Sunday, September I5. Owing to a very regrettable streak of misplaced Puritanism on the part of the municipal authorities, the organisers were not allowed to bring the general public into the meeting, except free of charge, with the result that they had to content themselves to a small but select party of invited guests.

Atlantic Park is quite an excellent aerodrome, and we hear rumours that it may shortly be the home of one of the well-known South Coast flying clubs. The hangars are still in reasonably good repair and bear romantic evidence, in the shape of notices in many languages, of the days when the shipping companies had perforce to use it as a dumping camp for the crowds of European emigrants who fled their own countries after the war to seek fortunes in the USA. (who knows but what it may have sheltered Scarface Al or others of his ilk!). Visitors by air had, we gathered a very sticky trip, as the clouds were down on the hills in most parts of the country and this kept the numbers of aircraft very low, but those who came by road fared better for despite rain which made things unpleasant they had no difficulty in finding the way ; AA notices at every corner led them straight to the aerodrome. — Mr. Ivor McClure, who has made the aviation department of the A. A. what it is, surely deserves recognition as one of aviation's benefactors.

The Dowager Lady Swaythling opened the meeting and the women who had flown down were presented to her. These included Miss Aitken Mrs. Victor Bruce, Mrs, Chalmers, Miss Spicer, and Lady Bailey. Mrs. Shelmerdine, who had nobly come all the way from London by road, Mrs, Mollison, who arrived somewhat later in her special 'Moth' and last, but not least Miss Mollie Ofley, of the Northamptonshire Aero Club, to whom had been entrusted the organisation of the dying programme of the meeting."

In September 1932, there was a "LADIES’ PARTY AT SYWELL

On Sunday, September 25, the ladies of the Northamptonshire Aero Club held the second of their annual flying meetings. This year the meeting, once more ably organised by Miss Mollie Ofley, was more in the nature of a garden party, the general public not therefore being invited. Some dozen visiting machines arrived at the aerodrome during the afternoon, quite a large proportion of which were flown by lady pilots. Unfortunately, other meetings in the country clashed with this gathering, thereby lessening the number of visitors. Last year the handsome cup presented by Mr. Lee Champion, was won by Miss 'Susan' Slade in a race which, it will be remembered, was distinctive for its somewhat exciting(!) finish. This year however, the idea of a race was abandoned and a competition substituted. The cup, it was decided should still be presented to the winner and therefore Miss Slade had perforce to fly up from Cornwall w ith this 'utensil' which she managed to do despite the execrable weather. Miss Slade told us that she explored every valley in Somerset in an endeavour to get north from Cornwall on the first day of her attempt before returning to a field belonging to some friends in Taunton. On the second day she was more lucky, and by avoiding the hills she was able to get through.

The competition took the form of a test of the pilot's ability to fly accurately by compass without the aid of a map. All entrants were given maps. but these were sealed and the breaking of the seal entailed disqualification. Four bearings and distances were given with landmarks, which had to be noted at each comer, observers being stationed at these marks. As a precaution against the eventuality of several competitors getting round the course correctly they had, on their return to the aerodrome to land, finishing their landing run with their wheels as near to a line of flags as possible. Points being deducted according to the distance they were from these flags.

The entrants included Miss Susan Slade, Lady Bailey, Miss Giles, Miss Muntz and Miss Aitken.

A scientific scheme of marking was evolved by several of the enthusiastic male members of the club, and the result of their labours was to award Lady Bailey 66.25, Miss Giles 63.5, Miss Slade 62,5, and Miss Muntz 61.25. Unfortunately, Miss Aitken decided that if she continued looking for the landing marks any longer she would be in danger of losing her tea, and she therefore opened her maps, which, of course, entailed her disqualification."

And then her flying career seems to have ended. She sold the Moth to Robert Christian 'Bob' Ramsay...

... and in 1933, she married Kenneth Minshull Robathan (1 Sep 1889 – 2 Feb 1965) who was an English first-class cricketer, British Indian Army officer and clergyman, and held ecclesiastical appointments at Dethick, Lea and Holloway in Derbyshire, Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire, and Potterne in Wiltshire. He  died in February 1965 at Ringwood, Hampshire.

They had 2(?) children.

Grace was still practising as a masseuse in Matlock, Derbyshire, in 1946.

She died 14 Feb 1979 giving her address as Camel Cross Motors, West Camel, Yeovil Somerset, leaving £78,183

In November 1931 he was pilot of 'Horsa', the first H.P. 42, on a leisurely trip to Heliopolis via Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Catania, Malta, Tripoli, Sirte and Marsah Mutra. "Ample time will be spent at each stopping place". The flight took seven days.

Awarded Master Pilot's Certificate in 1934

September 1934: "Captain Alcock is a younger brother of the late Sir John Alcock, who made the first Atlantic flight in 1919. After a period of service in the Royal Air Force, Capt. Alcock joined Imperial Airways in 1929, and has now flown a distance of more than 750,000 miles"

Promoted to Senior Master in October 1938

d. 1974 in Surrey

b. 12 May 1901, Kidderminster

Imperial Airways pilot from 1928

based Cairo

 Cyril Geoffrey Marmaduke Alington

  photo: 1933, aged 19

photo: 1936, aged 22

b. 19th August 1914 in Richmond, London, the youngest of four brothers.

Their father was Lt-Col Arthur Cyril Marmaduke Alington, and their mother was herself a pilot and had made parachute descents; they could trace the family back to William the Conqueror.

[The eldest brother, William James Marmaduke Alington (known as 'Marmie') was chief instructor at the Yapton Flying Club in 1937, and taught Lettice Curtis to fly.]

In 1933, a public schoolboy in Hythe, Kent; by 1936 a student at the de Havilland Technical School.

Competed in the Schlesinger Air Race in 1936, and came 12th (out of 15) in a Dart Kitten in the Devon Air Race in 1937:

"Mr CGM Alington, an entry in today's Devon Air Race, being greeted by Flt-Lt W E Knowlden on arrival last evening at Plymouth Airport" - Western Morning News, 24 July 1937

He joined the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1939 - see https://www.ata-ferry-pilots.org/index.php/category-blog-1939/77-alington-cyril

d. 1987

  Paymaster Lt Rupert Hildebrand Alington 

Cyril's elder brother, b. Hythe, Kent 16 March 1911.

Killed in WWII: 10 September 1943, a Lt-Cmdr aboard the minelayer HMS Abdiel, which was mined at Taranto.

 Helen Naomi Allen

  RAeC

 1934

 with Cobham's Flying Circus

...my mother-in-law was 96, so her memory may not have been what it was. 

I mentioned I was going to the ATA Museum. She said "I met a ferry pilot a few times, she was Mrs Allen, and she flew planes across the Atlantic".

"Oh yes", I thought "No ATA women ferry pilots actually did that, but anyway..."

"Really" I said.

"Yes, she came to visit her mother-in-law who was our neighbour, Kitty Allen. This was when my sister worked at Bletchley Park."

"Right", I said, thinking "OK, there were 2 Mrs Allens in the ATA..."

"Yes, it was terrible how her husband died. It was after an operation. Apparently it was quite a straightforward operation, he woke up, said 'Hello Darling' and then promptly had a heart attack and died".

"OK", I thought, Helen Naomi Heron-Maxwell's first husband Mr Allen died in... let me see... January 1939, after they were married in... March 1938..."

"Maybe Helen or Naomi Heron-Maxwell?", I said.

"That name sounds familiar. Her family were very upper-crust, you know. Very well-connected. And another thing, who was it lived at Sissinghurst?" (Which I think signified the end of that part of the conversation).

So, I searched the Times Archive. Good grief, in 1939, 

"ALLEN. On January 23rd 1939, in Austria, following an operation, FRANCIS CECIL HOWARD, adored husband of Naomi (nee Heron-Maxwell) and son of Mrs WHR Allen of Periwinkle, Long Acre Lane, Sisley, Sussex, aged 34"

And moreover, I discovered that Naomi moved to Los Angeles in 1948, married again, divorced and then moved into Leisure World in Laguna Hills, California, dying there in 1983.

Which is exactly when we lived in Mission Viejo, California - a few miles from her. If only I'd known!

(Mind you, Owen Cathcart Jones only lived a few miles in the other direction - if only I'd known, again!)

So there you go. (Nearly) a brush, or two, with dramatis personae... 

Air Transport Auxiliary in WWII

 Geoffrey Hill Ambler CB CBE AFC LLD DL

b 23 Jun 1904, a 'worsted spinner' from Yorkshire

Inventor of the Ambler Superdraft System of Spinning, which (you'll have to trust me on this) accelerated production of worsted yarn, and a serious oarsman in his youth: Henley Royal Regatta crew member (Shrewsbury School) in 1922, and then in the 'B' crew for Cambridge (Clare College).

Geoffrey is 4th from left, shown here during practice for the 1922 University Boat Race

but he didn't quite make the final team in 1922 or 1923, briefly had to stand down in March 1924 as he "showed signs of developing a boil", but came back and helped Cambridge win a surprise victory in the 1924 Race. Oxford "completely went to pieces and were beaten very badly indeed".

He was then elected Hon. Sec. of the Cambridge University Boat Club, and rowed in two more Cambridge victories: the 1925 race (when Oxford capsized), and 1926 (when Jumbo Edwards, in the Oxford boat, stopped rowing because 'he hadn't trained properly' - The Times reckoned he was a stone overweight), later becoming President of the Club. [In 1926, both Jumbo (HRA) and ECT Edwards were in the Oxford crew].

Joined the RAFVR in 1931 (608 North Riding(Bomber) Sqn); Sqn Ldr from 1934, until Geoffrey Shaw took over on 30 October 1938. Wing Commander from January 1940.

Married Phoebe Gaunt in June 1940; they had 3 daughters.

Air Commodore until 1943, when he became Deputy Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Fighter Command.

Retired as Air Vice Marshall and rejoined Fred Ambler Ltd, eventually becoming Chairman. Joined Martin's Bank as regional director in 1951, then Grout & Co in 1959.

d. 26 Aug 1978

 Miss Elizabeth Ann Roche Anderson

Royal Aero Club Certificate 8735 (26 Jun 1929)

The Sketch - 1929

b. Dullatur Scotland, 18 Aug 1908

A Masseuse

 1930

b 28 Jul 1907, Swansea, Glamorgan

RAF 1925-1930

He entered for the 1929 King's Cup Race, but withdrew before the start 

Chief Test Pilot for Spartan Aircraft Co Ltd, Woolston, Southampton, 1 Feb 1930 to 8 Sep 1931

He made two entries for the 1930 King's Cup Race, in Bluebird G-AATS and Spartan G-AAGO, and eventually flew in the latter but was unplaced.

He then entered Spartan Arrow, G-AAWZ in the Europa Rundflug 3-week Air Race, 16 Jul-8 Aug 1930

Test Pilot for Fairey Aviation Co, Hamble, Nov 1931 to Dec 1933

RAF in WWII, then Sales Manager for Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Ltd, 1946-52

Research: thanks to Steve Brew

 b. 12 Aug 1893

Service Number: A15088/39 RFC and RAF in WWI

1919 - "Miss Dorothy Gent, formerly a cashier in a Chester cafe, was awarded £300 damages at Chester Assizes in an action for breach of promise brought by her against Burton Ankers, a captain in the Royal Air Force."

 He broke off the engagement with Ms Gent in July 1918, and married Dorothy M [Horwood] in October.

1938 - "The Air Ministry announces that the King has approved of the undermentioned rewards for gallant and distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations in Waziristan during the period 16 September to 15 December, 1937: Distinguished Service Order.—Wing- Commander Burton Ankers."

d. 9 Aug 1939 in Bristol Blenheim L1546 that was lost at Kutumba, India:

"TWO SAVED BY PARACHUTE

Wing Commander Killed

Wing-Commander Burton Ankers and two other men of No. 39 Squadrdn, R.A.F., were killed in a crash at Kotumba, India. Corporal Robert Samuel Gilbert and Aircraftman Arthur Reginald Harris were the other victims. Wing-Commander Ankers was the pilot. Two other occupants, Aircraftman Richard Wallace Bloss, and Mr R. C. R. Tapper, escaped by parachute. "

  Jack', chief test pilot for for Blackburn, later a Wing Commander. Susan Slade's cousin.

b. Gateshead-on-Tyne 4 Feb 1897

RFC in WWI; pilot for Airco 1919-20

Imperial Airways pilot from 1924

Awarded Master Pilot's Certificate in 1935 

 Dirk "Dick" Lucas Asjes

 Born 21^st June 1911 in Surabaya

Died 2^nd February, 1997 in the Hague, aged 85

 Twin brother of Richard, so you don't need another photo. "Licences which he holds are (according to himself) motor (endorsed), gun, dog, and 'A'."

He and his brother became "a legend in the RAF".

d. 8 Jun 1952

http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/AtcherleyD.htm

 F/O (later Flt-Lt) (Sir) Richard Llewellyn Roger Atcherley KBE, CB, AFC

  photo: 1929, aged 25

 Batchy', twin brother of David, b. 12 Jan 1904

1929 Schneider pilot and later Air Marshall in the RAF and Chief of Air Staff for the Pakistan Air Force. Put on a bit of weight later on, and ended up as Sales Director for Folland Aircraft.

Died 18 Apr 1970.

http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/AtcherleyR.htm

  in Egypt after WWI

on duty with Imperial Airways in Southampton

with a tall dark and mysterious woman *

  in May 1938

b. Birmingham, 6 Mar 1899; joined the RFC in 1917, saw active sevice in Egypt and then became a training instructor at No 5 RAF Flying School in Sealand, Cheshire.

He joined Imperial Airways in November 1926.

September 1932: "The Prince of Wales will leave London this morning in the Imperial Airways liner Heracles for Copenhagen, where he is to open the British Exhibition. Two halts will be made en route—one at Amsterdam and the other at Hamburg. The complete journey is expected to take six and a half hours. Captain E. H. Attwood, of Imperial Airways, will be the pilot, and two R.A.F. flying boats from Calshot will escort the Prince on the first stage of his journey across the Channel from Dover. "

Chief Pilot, South African Division in 1932

He was killed in November 1938, when piloting Empire Flying Boat G-AETW 'Calpurnia' which hit bad weather, and crashed and sank in Lake Ramadi, 15 miles short of the Imperial Airways base at Habbaniyah. Four of the crew of six were killed; there were no passengers.

Calpurnia was carrying mail at the time. "Many mailbags burst in the crash, and hundreds of letters are floating on the surface of the shallow lake in which the flying boat lies submerged." The letters were scooped up where possible, marked "Received in Damaged Condition ex Flying Boat Calpurnia" and sent on:

Ernest's grandson (who also kindly sent me the photos) tells me that, although he never met his grandfather, "I knew his wife well, my grandmother, who was a nurse in The Great War and died in 1963. I was told that he did not consider himself to be in the 'real war' but that his brother, who was in the trenches, was the brave one!"

* Adrian Constable, British Airways Archivist, kindly tells me that "The lady was Minnie Mann. Minnie was one of Imperial Airways senior secretaries, and a more-than-keen photographer.  That photo was almost certainly taken with her camera, and is one of the few times she appeared in front of the lens rather than behind it.  She was apparently well liked by all the pilots, and managed to get in to situations with her camera that others would have found "against the rules".  I wish we had more of her pictures than we do!"

known as 'Don'

Represented RAF Andover in the Air League Challenge Cup in 1923